Ridgefield Candidate Profile: Joseph Savino, Board of Selectmen

RIDGEFIELD, CT — The 2019 municipal election is heating up in Ridgefield and there are plenty of races with candidates eager to serve in elected office.

Ridgefield Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as election day draws near.

Joseph Savino, 61, is running for a seat on the Board of Selectmen as a Republican.

He is a former member of the Planning & Zoning Commission, Board of Selectmen, and Board of Finance, and currently on the Police Commission. He holds a bachelor's degree in business administration from Montclair State, and an MBA from Fordham University. His resume includes over 30 years of sales and business executive experience at IBM Corporation.

The single most pressing issue facing our town/district is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Protecting our Beautiful Neighborhoods & Quality of Life.

1. Oppose Tolls which causes more traffic
2. Work with P&Z on changes to Town Master Plan & Zoning Regulations
3. Change annual sewer charges to usage based

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

My advantages:

1. 30 Years of successful business experience in Sales & Finance
2. Elected Town Government experience while serving on 4 elected Ridgefield Boards
3. A track record of getting results
4. Independent and a good listener who works with people to solve problems

List other issues that define your campaign platform:

1. We must have smart growth of our commercial tax base to grow the Town grand list
2. Town Government must run more efficiently
3. Protect our Schools.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

• On P&Z: Raised Open Space objective to 30%. Updated Zoning Regs
• On BOS: Started road program, Got SRMS approved, Raised Senior tax credit
• On BOF: Town held AAA rating. Lowered auditor & bond council cost.
• On PC: CT's safest town last 4 years. New Police Chief. Rolled out social media & new Juvenile Court rollout

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I'm a 29 year resident committed to keeping Ridgefield CTs number 1 town. I am an active town volunteer with Rotary and St. Mary's Church. I love working with other Ridgefielders to solve problems. My goal is make Ridgefield even better. My platform is what I want to accomplish.

The best advice ever shared with me was ...

Always listen first, gather all the relevant facts and then speak.